As the former assistant director of athletic media relations at the University of Michigan, Murray has seen plenty of football games there.

Murray was also director of media relations with the Detroit Lions when the team played in the Silverdome.

Obviously he is used to bearing witness to athletic endeavors in venues that yawn with square footage.

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Introducing the PRO Martial Arts studio in Troy. The soon-to-be-open facility is located on the northwest corner of Crooks and Maplelawn.

While its size is much more understated than both the Big House and the former Silverdome, Murray is hoping its impact will be huge with area youth.

“It was important to us to do something that would benefit kids,” said Murray, who resides in Royal Oak with his wife, Mena. “We wanted to do something meaningful, especially with this chapter in our lives.”

The grand opening of his PRO Martial Arts studio will be Saturday, July 12.

Mike and Mena Murray have three adult children; Elizabeth, 26; Mike, 24; and Eddie, 23. All three graduated from public high schools in Royal Oak.

Mena (Reyman) attended Dondero High School where she was an all-state softball player. She went on to play at the University of Michigan where she and Mike Murray met.

“Mena has been a substitute teacher, a coach and has worked a great deal with Special Olympics both as a volunteer and a coach,” said her husband.

Mike Murray also worked as the director of marketing, advertising and communications with Wright & Filippis, a provider of home medical equipment.

“At PRO Martial Arts, it is all about character education,” he said. “We use martial arts as the fitness component, but it is so much more than that.”

PRO Martial Arts specializes in a mix of Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido.

The curriculum is a national brand built on the belief that karate should teach not only self-defense, but also character by helping to improve overall attitude, self-worth, fitness, assertiveness, and self-awareness in both children and adults.

Murray pointed out that there will be frequent “mat chats,” where different topics like respect, manners and confidence will be talked about. Students will have to earn their character stripes in order to advance to the next belt level.

The curriculum also includes the ARMOR program during which students are taught how to deal with bullying and predator activity.

Mike Murray is a franchisee. There are three other PRO Martial Arts locations in metro Detroit; in Canton, Novi and Lake Orion.

The Little Rhino Program introduces kids as young as three the basics of karate. PRO Martial Arts has martial arts programs for kids and adults, as well as adult fitness kickboxing.

Mike and Mena Murray would like to eventually add to that list of programs by including classes for people with disabilities.

Mike Murray would like to see his students get involved in community outreach programs.

“We want to get our students to be a part of those kinds of programs. Community outreach is so important and helping others gives us all a different perspective on things,” he said.

From the Big House to the corner of Maplelawn and Crooks. From the press box at the Silverdome to a karate dojo.

Mike Murray certainly has arrived at a different perspective. It is a viewpoint he welcomes.

For more information on the PRO Martial Arts programs, visit www.promartialarts.com